Choices
by KJaneway115
Summary: Voyager is home, but a member of the crew is unexpectedly arrested. Janeway struggles to find out where the charges against him originated and fights for his freedom. Written for the 2014 VAMB Secret Santa Exchange. J/C
1. Chapter 1

_Written for the 2014 VAMB Secret Santa Exchange for quantumsilver. Her request: __"__Someone has to make a hard decision in the middle of a dangerous situation. It doesn't have to have been the correct decision in hindsight, or it can be. Up to you. Points for humor, darkness, R rating, and humanity unveiled alike.__" __Much affection to QS and thanks for the inspiration, although I__'__m not sure I__'__ve done her request justice. And many thanks to mizvoy for the editing._

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><p><strong>CHOICES<strong>

By KJaneway 115

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><p>Kathryn Janeway stared at the view screen in shock, still unable to fully grasp what had just happened. There had been so many false alarms over the past seven years that she genuinely expected to wake up and find it had all been a dream. She blinked several times and clenched her fist hard, her nails biting into the skin of her hand. The scene before her didn't change. It wasn't a dream.<p>

The fleet of Federation ships on the view screen was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. She turned and walked towards her chair as her first officer took the helm. She crossed her legs and said the words she had spoken many times over the past seven years, words that now took on an entirely new meaning. "Set a course for home."

Chakotay, seated at the helm, was trying to control his whirling thoughts as his fingers piloted the ship automatically. He hadn't truly believed they would make it; he realized that now. For all his protestations to Seven about remaining in transporter range of her, and all his professions of confidence in Janeway, he had never truly believed they would make it home. But now they were here, and suddenly the reality of his situation came crashing down on him. He would have to make good on an agreement he had hoped would never come to fruition. And he had only a few minutes left. How could he explain it to Kathryn? To Seven? To B'Elanna and Tom and their brand new baby? To Harry, who had looked up to him for so many years? Even to Tuvok, who had become a trusted colleague, if not a friend? He turned in his chair, ready to ask the captain if he could see her in her ready room, but then Harry spoke and it was too late.

"Captain, we're being hailed."

"On screen."

_No! _he wanted to scream. _I need more time. _But he could say nothing.

Admiral William Ross appeared on the view screen. "Captain Janeway. Welcome home."

"Thank you, Admiral. What can I do for you?"

"I'm sorry to inform you, Captain, that there is a member of your crew that I am taking into custody, effective immediately."

Janeway was out of her chair in an instant. "On what charge?"

"Treason," the admiral replied. "Commander Chakotay, prepare to beam aboard."

Chakotay stood, but Janeway held out a hand. "Admiral, I demand an explanation for this. Commander Chakotay is a Starfleet officer. You can't just take him into custody."

"I certainly can. He's been charged with treason."

"What treason charge?"

"Treason against the Federation, crimes the commander committed as a Maquis."

"I will not allow you to take a member of my crew."

"The choice is not yours to make, Captain."

"Raise shields." Janeway's voice came back as hard as steel.

Chakotay lifted his hand and spoke softly, as if only she could hear him, even though his words echoed through the silence of the entire bridge. "Kathryn, don't."

"Chakotay." She stepped towards him, lowering her voice. "What do you mean, don't? This isn't fair. It isn't right."

"It will be all right."

"No. I won't let them take you. If I have to take the ship back to the Delta Quadrant, I won't let them do this."

"You have to."

"What do you mean?" She felt the tears stinging her eyes again, but this time she didn't care.

"If I don't do this, it will make things a lot worse for everyone."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry, Kathryn. I have to go."

"No! We can fight this, Chakotay. You don't have to do this. Please. If you care for me, if you care for our crew, don't do this!"

He turned to the view screen. "I'm ready, Admiral."

On the screen, Admiral Ross turned to an ensign behind him. "Energize."

As Chakotay dematerialized, he looked straight at Janeway. "I love you," he said as he disappeared from _Voyager_'s bridge.

No one spoke. Janeway stared at the spot where Chakotay had stood only moments earlier, barely aware of the admiral's ship going to warp in front of her. Tuvok stood at his station, stoic as usual. Harry Kim's jaw remained agape. Gripping the console in front of her, Seven of Nine felt a rush of emotions that she could not process or explain. When she reached up to touch her cheeks, she realized they were wet.

Finally, Janeway turned to face her crew, the mask of command descending over her features. "Tuvok, you have the bridge. I'll be in my ready room, trying to figure out what the hell is going on."

...

She braced her hands against the desk and drew in a shuddering breath. Her mind was whirling, and her heart was racing. She took deep breaths, trying to slow her thoughts and her heartbeat, replaying the last five minutes in her head. One moment rose above the haze of her swirling emotions, Chakotay's dark eyes looking earnestly into hers as he told her he loved her. What on earth had possessed him to say such a thing? She had suspected, long ago, that he might harbor some feelings for her that transcended simple friendship, but surely, he had moved on by now. After all, hadn't the admiral told her he would marry Seven? Hadn't they already begun a romantic relationship? Her face flushed. _Oh god. Seven_. She had heard Chakotay's confession of love along with the rest of the bridge crew. Kathryn dropped her face into her hands. What the hell was she going to do?

She thought about Chakotay, sitting in a prison cell right now, probably asking himself the same question. A prison sentence was the last thing he deserved, and she felt a wave of anger flow through her, rising above her other emotions. What was Starfleet thinking? How could they imprison someone who should be coming home a decorated hero? She needed counsel. She raised her hand to her comm badge to hail Tuvok and ask him to report to the ready room, but before she could touch her badge, the door chimed. She took a deep breath, shaking off the onslaught of emotions that still hovered just beneath the surface. "Come in."

It was Seven. And she was crying. Janeway had never seen the former drone exhibit such an open display of emotion. "Seven!" She quickly went over to the young woman and put an arm around her, leading her to the couch. They sat down together, and Janeway pulled Seven towards her, letting the young woman cry on her shoulder. "It's okay," she said softly. "It's going to be okay."

"I don't understand," Seven managed between sobs. "I don't understand why he would say that."

Janeway hugged her tightly, pushing her own emotions aside. "It's all right," she murmured softly, as if to her own daughter. "Just let yourself cry."

After several moments, Seven's sobs subsided and she extricated herself from Janeway's arms. "Why would Chakotay do this? Why would he let himself go without a fight?"

"I don't know. I don't understand it any better than you do." Janeway reached out and brushed Seven's hair out of her face.

"And why would he say that?" Seven's lip began to quiver again. "Why would he say that he loves you? He's in a relationship with me."

Janeway breathed a heavy sigh. "I really don't know, Seven. Sometimes, in stressful situations, people make snap decisions, and they aren't always the right ones."

"But, did he mean it?"

"Chakotay and I are close; we have been for many years." Janeway's gaze drifted away from Seven, and she seemed to be seeing something long ago and far away. "Maybe not as much recently, but we've always cared for each other very deeply... as friends."

Seven shook her head. "I don't think that's how he meant it just now." She started to cry again, and looked up at Janeway with red eyes. "Is this what it feels like to love someone? If so, I cannot understand why anyone would desire to feel so... so awful."

"Oh, Seven." Janeway wrapped her arm around the younger woman again. "Loving someone comes with its share of heartaches. You can't care deeply for someone without risking a terrible hurt." She paused, realization settling over her. "I've never seen you this emotional before. Has something more than Chakotay's arrest upset you?"

Seven pulled away from Janeway and buried her head in her hands. "I think I've made a terrible mistake."

Janeway rubbed her back and sighed. "Being with Chakotay isn't a mistake, Seven."

"No, that's not what I mean."

"What, then?"

Seven sat up and looked at Janeway with red eyes. "I had the Doctor remove my emotional fail-safe."

Momentarily at a loss for words, Janeway's hand stopped its circular motion on Seven's back. When she found her voice, she asked quietly, "When did this happen?"

"Three days ago, just before the admiral's arrival."

"I see."

"Perhaps I made that decision too hastily."

"Maybe." Janeway paused. "But you can't undo it now. I won't lie to you, Seven. I wish you'd consulted me before making such a major decision, both as your friend and as your captain."

"I'm sorry, I..."

Janeway held up a hand. "What's done is done, and I can't say that I blame you for wanting to experience the full range of human emotions. In fact, I'm proud of you for making that choice."

"You are?"

Janeway nodded. "From now on, I want you to come to me whenever you are having difficulty dealing with your emotions. It's going to be a period of adjustment for you, and you don't have Chakotay to rely on right now. You're going to need guidance and support. If you don't feel comfortable coming to me, talk to the Doctor."

"Thank you, Captain. I will."

"Whatever Chakotay said or meant, we'll have to figure it out later. What's important right now is that we understand what's happening and why he was arrested. We have to find out exactly where these charges are coming from and how we can counter them. We have to get him the best representation we can, because there will be a trial, and when that happens, I intend to be there, and I expect you to be there as well. Chakotay needs both of us to help him right now. Can you do that?"

Seven nodded. "Yes."

"Good. I want you to start by researching the Federation legal database. Find out as much as you can about Chakotay's case. Get Tuvok to help you if you have trouble navigating the system."

"I will not have trouble."

"All right. I'm going to contact Admiral Paris and see what he can tell me about this mess. We're going to get to the bottom of this, Seven. Don't worry."

Seven nodded and for the first time since she had entered the ready room, managed a weak smile. Unexpectedly, she threw her arms around Janeway. "Thank you, Captain."

Janeway patted the young woman on the back. "You're welcome, Seven." They disengaged and stood up. "Now, let's do this."

...

"Admiral, thank you for agreeing to see me." Janeway stepped into Admiral Paris' office.

When the door closed behind her, he stepped around his desk and enfolded her in a warm hug. "Katie, it's so good to have you home."

"It's good to be home," she replied. Paris had been a friend of her father's and a mentor to her at the Academy; he was far more than a superior officer. She broke away from the embrace. "But one of my crew is being held on charges of treason."

"I know," Paris replied. "I didn't know about these charges until after the fact, I swear."

"I know. Were you able to find out the answers to any of my questions?"

"None of the other former Maquis on your crew will face the same charges. That should come as a relief."

"It's some comfort, I suppose. But why Chakotay?"

"That, I haven't been able to find out. I can tell you that certain Starfleet officers, especially those who served on the front lines during the war like Admiral Ross, hold a grudge against the Maquis. I'm not surprised that there are those wanting to prosecute the former Maquis on your crew. I am surprised that only Chakotay is being charged."

"Do you know where he's being held?"

"At the New Zealand correctional facility. There hasn't been a trial date set yet."

"And what about representation?"

"I spoke to Admiral Luvois, as you asked me to. She has agreed to your proposal, but I have real misgivings about it, Kathryn."

"Why is that? You don't think I'm capable?"

Paris shook his head. "I don't think you can be objective."

"Chakotay doesn't need someone to be objective. He needs someone who's going to do whatever it takes to ensure his release."

"And if you can't?"

"Not an option."

Paris sighed. "All right. I see there's no dissuading you."

"Nope."

"No need to get defensive, Katie. I'm on your side."

"I'm sorry. The past few days have just been… difficult."

"I know. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. I've read the reports you sent from _Voyager_. I know that Chakotay has saved your life many times over, as well as my son's and his wife's. I know from his reports and yours that he's a good man and a good officer."

"I only hope the court sees it that way."

"So do I. As I said, just let me know what I can do."

"Thank you, Admiral. I will."

As Janeway left Paris' office, she continued to think about what the admiral had said. The one thing that bothered her the most was why only Chakotay had been charged and imprisoned. Her mind replayed the strange scene on the bridge, when Ross had hailed them. The way Chakotay had stood up so calmly, turned to her and told her not to interfere, it was almost as if... She stopped mid-stride. It was almost as if he had known what was coming. She tapped her comm badge. "Janeway to Seven of Nine."

"Seven here, Captain."

"Can you talk, Seven?"

They had agreed to keep their investigation private, confined to the senior staff only, unsure of who they could trust. They would only speak over a secure comm link. Janeway waited while Seven secured the comm. "Yes, Captain. I'm available."

"I want you to take a fine tooth comb to the communications logs from the last several months, going back to when we began communicating with the Alpha Quadrant. Look for any erroneous messages, any evidence that Chakotay may have communicated with someone in Starfleet without my knowledge, any proof that he may have been coerced, bribed or threatened in any way."

"Understood, Captain. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go see Chakotay."

...

Chakotay had never been held in a Federation prison before. It was certainly nicer than the Cardassian equivalent, he mused as he stood up and sat down again on the bunk in his cell. But that didn't change the fact that he was in prison and likely to be there for a very long time. He dropped his head into his hands. What had he been thinking?

His mind went back to his last few moments on _Voyager_'s bridge and the look of utter betrayal in Kathryn's eyes when he had stood and prepared to beam over to Ross' ship. _If you care for me, if you care for our crew, don__'__t do this! _Why hadn't he been able to just let it go at that? No, instead he'd had to rebut her accusation. His mind had been screaming the response, and as he felt the transporter beam beginning to take hold, he simply hadn't been able to stop himself. _Of course I care for you. I love you, Kathryn._ Only later had it dawned on him that Seven would have heard the same statement and probably felt terribly hurt and confused. What had he done?

Had he made a mistake from the very beginning? Should he have fought the treason charge? No, he knew, that would have just been selfish. So many others would have suffered as a result. _But aren__'__t they suffering now? _He shook his head, arguing with himself. _Not as much as they would be had I not accepted my situation for what it is. They__'__ll get over it. Seven has many people who love and care for her. She__'__ll forget about me. Kathryn will be the celebrated captain who brought _Voyager_ home from the Delta Quadrant. She won__'__t even have time to think of me being in prison. She__'__ll move on with her life. They all will. This is the life I chose, and now I have to pay the price._

There was a beep, and the prison communications network activated the terminal in his cell. "Commander Chakotay." It was one of the young lieutenants who worked security at the correctional facility. Chakotay had met him on his way in. His name was Butsky, or something like that. Chakotay had to keep himself from chuckling at the appropriateness of the name; the lieutenant was a real pain in the ass.

"Yes."

"You have a guest here to see you."

"Who is it?"

"Captain Janeway."

Chakotay felt his heart sink. He couldn't face Kathryn, not now. "Please tell the captain I'm sorry, I can't see her."

Butsky disappeared from the screen for a moment, and then came back. "The captain has asked that you reconsider, Commander."

"No. Please tell her I'm sorry."

The lieutenant disappeared from the screen again, and Chakotay could vaguely hear angry voices in the background. He recognized one of them as Kathryn's, and he felt even worse than he had a few minutes earlier. He just didn't know how it could help to see her now; he was certain that it would only make things worse than they already were. And things were already pretty bad.

_Yep, old man_, he thought to himself as he looked around the blank walls of his cell, _you__'__ve really done it this time._

...

"He refused to see you?" B'Elanna blurted out, unable to disguise her anger.

Janeway nodded.

"That doesn't sound like Chakotay," Tom said as he handed the captain a steaming cup of coffee.

"The whole thing seems off to me, somehow," she replied. "There's something that we're missing."

"He didn't say anything to me about... any of it," B'Elanna said as she rocked the sleeping baby Miral. "Not to Mike Ayala either, and we were his oldest friends on _Voyager._"

"But did he say anything to you about dating Seven?" Tom asked pointedly.

"Well, no, but that's different. Something like this, something that involved the Maquis... I just can't imagine that he wouldn't say anything to me if he had known something about it." Janeway had told Tom and B'Elanna her suspicions about Chakotay's foreknowledge of the arrest, and it had launched the three of them into an animated discussion.

"Maybe he thought that the possibility of it really happening was so remote that he didn't need to say anything," Tom suggested.

Janeway sighed. "I still think we're missing something."

"Seven of Nine to the captain."

She tapped her comm badge. "Janeway here."

"I have something, Captain."

"Come to Tom and B'Elanna's quarters, Seven. I'm sure we'd all like to hear what you have to say."

"On my way."

They sat in silence for a moment, and Janeway noticed Tom and B'Elanna eyeing each other uncomfortably. She put down her coffee cup on the table and sat back against the couch with an exasperated sigh. "All right, spit it out."

"What?" Tom asked, feigning innocence.

"Whatever it is you don't want to say."

After another long moment of silence, B'Elanna said, "I don't think we know what to say, Captain. We heard about what happened on the bridge."

Janeway closed her eyes and let her head fall back onto the couch. "Who hasn't?"

"Please don't feel embarrassed," Paris said quietly. "No one is talking about it that way. No one thinks any less of you."

Janeway lifted her head. "Thanks."

The silence stretched between them for a moment until Tom asked, "How's Seven doing?"

"She's all right. Having this project to work on has helped her a lot; she needed that."

"And how are you?" asked B'Elanna.

Janeway closed her eyes. "I'm..."

The door chimed. "Come in," Paris called.

Seven of Nine entered the room, a look of urgency on her face that alarmed Janeway. "I believe you were right, Captain. Chakotay did know that he was going to be arrested should _Voyager_ return to the Alpha Quadrant."

"Calm down, Seven. Tell us what you found."

"I reviewed all of _Voyager_'s communication logs with the Alpha Quadrant. I found two sets of communications hidden in the logs on separate carrier waves. They both included covert correspondence with someone at Starfleet Command."

Janeway didn't know what to say. Someone on her crew had been communicating with Starfleet behind her back. Who would do such a thing and why? Her heart started to pound.

"Two sets?" Tom asked, jumping in when it became apparent that the captain had lost the faculty of speech.

"Yes. One set was between Commander Chakotay and someone at Starfleet. I don't know who he was talking to and haven't been able to reconstruct the other side of the conversation."

Janeway finally found her voice. "But you have been able to reconstruct Chakotay's transmissions?"

"For the most part," Seven replied, handing Janeway a PADD. The communiques were written, not recorded, and Janeway stared at the words, her face pale.

The PADD read, "I do not know who has ... you with this information, but it is false. I will not ... for my beliefs, and I will not willingly give up ... or my crew because of false information."

The next transmission had been sent two weeks later: "Is there no alternative? Commander ... suggested that we might be able to broker a deal, one that would at the very least protect Captain Janeway and the rest of the crew from any charges or criminal proceedings. If you can assure me of their safety, I will do what you ask."

And finally: "Thank you, Admiral ... . I have deleted all records of our conversation from _Voyager_'s computer. I will never speak of this, and I appreciate your promise that Captain ... and our crew will never ... what I have done. I regret saying this, but you have made me wish, for my sake, that _Voyager_ never returns home. For ... sake, I will keep trying my best to ensure that we do, as soon as possible. And should that ... , have no fear; I will be true to my word."

As Janeway read his words, she could sense the torment Chakotay must have felt in writing them. She felt tears pricking the backs of her eyelids as she realized that he had sacrificed himself for all of them. It was up to her to make things right. Blinking back the tears, she looked up at Seven. "Is there any way to find out who he was writing to?"

Seven shook her head. "I've traced the transmission back to an office at Starfleet Command, but there are three admirals in that office: Paris, Ross and Blackwell."

"Ross," Janeway said. "He's the one who arrested Chakotay."

Seven nodded and then took a deep breath. "There's something else you need to know."

Janeway nodded. "The second set of communications."

"Yes," Seven agreed, and then hesitated.

"Who was it?" Janeway asked, the rancor growing in her voice. "Who else on my ship was communicating with Starfleet behind my back? Who was informing on us?"

Seven's expression grew even darker. "Captain, I have checked my work four times to ensure that I was not mistaken in my conclusion. Whoever sent the other set of transmissions was extremely careful, but using a Borg decryption algorithm, I was able to follow his tracks. The transmissions themselves are lost, but the pathways could not be permanently deleted from the computer."

"His?" Janeway asked. "Who is it, Seven?" Without answering, Seven handed the captain another PADD, one which listed the other set of transmissions and tracked them back to one crew member. Janeway drew in a sharp breath. "Tuvok?"

"Tuvok?" Tom and B'Elanna echoed.

"I searched and searched, hoping to find that I was wrong, that someone else was trying to frame him, but I was able to arrive only at this conclusion. Commander Tuvok informed on Chakotay to Starfleet."

As Tom and B'Elanna continued to voice their disbelief, Janeway's mind was whirling. She had been going to call Tuvok into her office right after Chakotay had been taken, but then Seven had come in in tears, she'd had to report to Admiral Paris, and she had forgotten about it altogether. Tuvok had left for Vulcan soon after to seek treatment for his illness. His illness. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"I just don't understand why Tuvok would do this to Chakotay," B'Elanna was saying. "I know they didn't always get along, but this?"

"I think we need to keep this to ourselves for the time being," the captain said in a quiet but firm tone.

"But Captain," Paris started.

Janeway held up a hand to cut him off. "For the time being, Mr. Paris. That's an order. Thank you, Seven, for bringing this to my attention." Janeway stood and stepped towards the exit.

"Captain, may I ask what you are going to do with this information?" Seven asked.

"I'm going to see the Doctor," Janeway replied. With that, she exited the room, leaving three very confused crew members behind her.

...

"Doctor, is it possible that Tuvok's illness was far more advanced than either you or I suspected?"

"Captain, I am programmed with the medical knowledge of thousands of medical professionals, including Vulcan doctors. Are you suggesting that I don't know how to examine my own patients?"

"Doctor, I know you are more than capable, and you know I trust you with my life. But I need to know, is it possible?"

The Doctor regarded her for a moment. She was clearly worked up about something. "Why do you ask?"

"Please, just answer the question."

"I suppose it is possible. Neural degeneration affects every patient differently. There's no way to know exactly how fast Tuvok's condition had progressed or how the disease was affecting him." Janeway slumped against the nearest biobed, and the Doctor reached out a hand to support her. "Why? What is it?"

She told him what Seven had found. When she finished, the Doctor looked as horrified as she felt. "Is it possible that I truly missed this?" the hologram asked himself.

"Tuvok wanted you to miss it," Janeway said tiredly. "He was hiding it from all of us."

"Perhaps he was hiding most of all from himself," the Doctor suggested. "He told me recently that his logic had not yet been impaired, but I suppose that the incident with Icheb and the kal-toh game should have alerted me to the fact that this was more than a simple lapse in concentration. Kal-toh is a game of logic; the fact that Tuvok lost should have warned me his sense of logic was more impaired than he was willing to admit to himself." He paused. "Think about it, Captain. What's more terrifying for a Vulcan than losing his sense of logic?"

She let the Doctor's words sink in before replying. "You're right. That would have been hard for him to admit to himself, much less any of us. He may not have known how sick he was."

"Commander Tuvok is already on Vulcan undergoing treatment."

"How long will his treatment take, Doctor?"

"I don't know. I would have to contact his doctors on Vulcan."

"Do it. But keep it quiet."

The Doctor nodded. "I will."


	2. Chapter 2

The room Starfleet had chosen for Chakotay's trial turned out to be a miscalculation. This became apparent as crew member after crew member squeezed inside that the room; it was far too small. The room was getting hotter, as the climate control system was having a difficult time keeping up with the over 150 occupants of a room designed to seat less than fifty.

Janeway, seated alone at the defense table, glanced over at Ross, who sat at the prosecution table. She could see the beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he glanced back for the fifth time at the crowd forming behind him. She turned away from him and smiled to herself. _Let him sweat_, she thought.

She had thought that getting Luvois to agree to her representing her former first officer would be the challenge. Instead, it had been getting Chakotay to accept the help that had been difficult. He had not wanted to see her or speak to her, and she understood that it had been Admiral Paris who had finally convinced him to allow her to act as his counsel. She had not seen Chakotay or discussed her strategy for the trial with him.

The room fell silent as Chakotay was escorted in, flanked by two armed Starfleet security guards. He was in uniform, but his hands were shackled. The sight of it made Janeway burn with anger. The guards escorted him down the center aisle of the courtroom, pushing crew members aside as they did so. One of the guards pushed him roughly into the chair beside Janeway and then removed his shackles. She understood then that they had been a statement, not a necessity, and this only made her anger burn hotter. Her eyes met Chakotay's, and she let him see the fierce determination that she felt. Then her gaze became a question, _Are you okay? _He gave her a barely perceptible nod.

"All rise," the clerk announced, "for Judge Advocate General Phillipa Louvois." There was a shuffling of feet as those who were sitting stood, and Admiral Louvois entered the courtroom. She took her place at the head of court and banged her gavel. Chakotay's trial had begun.

…..

Things were not looking good for Chakotay after the first several witnesses. Ross called former Maquis who had been imprisoned and "rehabilitated" by the Federation to testify to acts that Chakotay had committed during the war. Janeway called several character witnesses from _Voyager_'s crew, both Starfleet and Maquis, but Ross' portrayal of Chakotay as an angry, vengeful killer was more vivid and entrancing than the picture painted by his friends and colleagues of the past seven years, the picture of a dependable, quiet, honest guy who always had your back when you needed him.

Ross called Chakotay to the stand and rattled off a list of acts which he was known to have committed as a Maquis. "Did you or did you not perform these acts of treason against the Federation?"

"I am not a traitor; I was defending my home."

"Commander Chakotay, did you or did you not take the actions I described to the court? Answer the question."

Chakotay sighed. "Yes, I did."

Ross smiled triumphantly. "No further questions for this witness."

Luvois looked expectantly at Janeway. "I have no questions for this witness at this time," the captain said. "However, I reserve the right to call him to the stand again at a later time." Luvois allowed it. Chakotay looked at Janeway, surprise visible in his eyes. He wondered what she was planning.

When Ross' witness list had run out, Janeway stood. "I would like to call Lieutenant Commander Tuvok to the stand."

She saw Ross' shock. He had not expected Tuvok to be present; she knew that now. She turned in time to see her old friend walk down the center aisle of the courtroom. He took his seat at the stand. His eyes were clearer and brighter than they had been for months; it was only in this moment that Janeway realized how deeply his illness must have been affecting him. _How was I so blind to it?_ she wondered, then shook off the thought. She needed to focus on the trial now. "Commander Tuvok," she said with a smile, "it is good to see you. Thank you for making the long journey from Vulcan to be here."

"I knew that I had to make the journey, Captain. I had to correct my error."

"What error was that?"

"The error I made when I informed Admiral Ross that Commander Chakotay was a traitor to the Federation." Audible gasps were heard throughout the room. Only Tom, B'Elanna, Seven and the Doctor had known about Tuvok's involvement in the case. To the rest of the crew, this was a shock.

"Commander Tuvok, before you explain the nature of your error, will you please tell the court where you have been for the past two weeks, and why."

"Objection, relevance," Ross said.

"I promise, the court will see the relevance as soon as Mr. Tuvok makes his statement."

Luvois nodded. "I'll allow it."

"I have been on Vulcan, undergoing the Fal-tor-vah. It is the treatment for a Vulcan neurological disorder. I have been suffering from the disorder for the past year. Although I have been receiving treatment from _Voyager_'s Emergency Medical Hologram, my condition was far worse than he suspected, and, indeed, than I was willing to admit to myself. Captain Janeway was not even aware of my condition until a few days before _Voyager_'s return to the Alpha Quadrant."

"And how did your condition affect you?" Janeway asked.

"I suffered from lapses of logic as well as paranoid delusions."

"But you are now fully recovered?"

"Yes, my treatment is complete and my sense of logic has been fully restored."

"Tell the court about the delusions you had while you were suffering from this disorder."

"I came to believe that Commander Chakotay, who was a dedicated and loyal officer under Captain Janeway's command for seven years, was a traitor to Starfleet. I also became suspicious of the other former Maquis members of _Voyager_'s crew."

"Looking back, why do you think this happened?"

"I believe that my focus on Commander Chakotay in particular was a result of the uneasy relationship the commander and I shared in the beginning of _Voyager_'s journey. I also believe that my state of mind was influenced by the mental manipulation of a man called Teero Anaydis, a Bajoran fanatic who was able to alter the minds of many of _Voyager_'s crew, including myself and Commander Chakotay."

"What did you do with this belief you had mistakenly developed?"

"I informed Admiral Ross of my suspicions."

Janeway nodded. "I see. Now that you are fully recovered and in your right mind again, do you believe your actions were justified?"

"No. I regret the communications I sent to Admiral Ross. They were in error and were not reflective of the truth. Commander Chakotay is a fine officer, not a traitor to the Federation."

"Thank you, Commander. No further questions."

Ross had no questions for Tuvok, and he stepped down from the stand. Janeway stood again. "I call Commander Chakotay back to the stand."

Chakotay met her eyes fully, and she could see the fear there. Fear of what was to come, fear of what he might be about to admit in front of her and their entire crew. She held his gaze. _Don__'__t be afraid. You__'__re not alone, Chakotay._ He walked to the stand, his calm exterior betraying none of the interior turmoil he felt.

"Commander Chakotay, please tell the court the series of events that led to your arrest on _Voyager_'s bridge, to the best of your knowledge."

He took a deep breath. "Several months ago, I was contacted by an old friend at Starfleet Command. He told me that someone had been sending incriminating evidence about me and the other former Maquis to Starfleet. He suggested that he might be able to arrange a deal through his supervisor, whereby all the Maquis might not be charged with treason."

"Who was his supervisor?"

Chakotay nodded towards the prosecution table. "Admiral Ross."

"What happened next?"

"I agreed to speak with the admiral. He told me that he intended to charge all of the Maquis with treason and imprison them if _Voyager_ returned to the Alpha Quadrant. We were able to work out a deal whereby I agreed to go to prison without a fight, if he would allow the other Maquis to go free. I was their captain; I could bear the responsibility for all of us." He avoided Kathryn's eyes when he said this, and she wondered why.

"What was the benefit of this deal for Admiral Ross?"

"I would go to prison quietly, without a big media fuss. In his mind, justice would have been done for the crimes against the Federation committed by the Maquis without any negative publicity for Starfleet." Chakotay looked around the courtroom, attempting to suppress a smile. "I guess things didn't quite work out the way he planned."

There was a smattering of laughter throughout the courtroom, and Admiral Luvois called for order.

Janeway cleared her throat and continued her questions. "What was in the deal for you?"

"The safe release of my crew... and my friends."

"Are you a traitor to the Federation, Chakotay?"

"No. I resigned from Starfleet and fought with the Maquis to protect my home and my people from Cardassians. For the past seven years, I have served as a loyal Starfleet officer, and I will continue to do so if I am acquitted."

"Thank you, Commander. No further questions."

Unexpectedly, Ross stood. "Redirect, Admiral Luvois." The judge nodded and Ross moved in on Chakotay like a shark stalking its prey. "You haven't told the whole truth here, have you, Chakotay?"

"I have answered every question that has been asked of me."

"But you haven't been completely honest with this court." Chakotay remained silent, stone faced. Janeway felt fear rise in her gut, wondering what Ross was aiming at. "Your noble concern for your Maquis colleagues wasn't the only reason you took the deal Starfleet offered, was it?" Chakotay did not answer. "Was it?"

"Commander, answer the question," Luvois directed.

Chakotay looked into his lap. "No."

"No. You had another reason, a far more selfish reason. Why else did you take the deal with Starfleet?"

Chakotay looked up at Ross, his eyes burning with anger. "I took the deal because you threatened people I care about, Admiral. You threatened them with imprisonment, courts martial, and public humiliation. That's why I took the deal."

"Don't try so hard to make me sound like the villain. Who else, other than your Maquis crew, did you take the deal for? Go on, tell the court. You took it to protect the woman you love, didn't you? It was your own selfish desire for her that prompted your actions, wasn't it?"

Janeway was on her feet. "Objection, your honor!"

"That's enough, Admiral Ross. Commander, answer the question."

Finally, Chakotay looked up. Even though his face was burning red with humiliation, he forced himself to look directly at Ross. "I took the deal to protect Captain Janeway, yes. I took the deal because you told me that you had even more damning evidence against her than you did against me. You told me that she could be court martialed and stripped of rank, even sent to prison for many years."

"And do you deny that you are in love with this woman? Your entire bridge staff heard you admit it."

Now Chakotay looked at Kathryn. Her eyes were wide in shock, disbelief, anger and fear. His eyes still locked with hers, he said, "I do not deny it."

She closed her eyes and was able to breathe again.

Ross smirked. "Don't you think your judgment was compromised by your feelings for her, Commander?" Chakotay gave no response, and Ross did not require one. He shrugged and went back to his chair. "No further questions."

"The witness may step down," said Luvois. Chakotay slumped as he made his way back to the defense table.

Janeway simmered with anger on his behalf. He was a private man and she could only imagine how humiliated it was for him to have his most private emotions aired in such a public way. She gave him one fiery look to assure him it wasn't over yet, and then stood. "The defense calls Admiral Ross."

"The prosecution cannot be called as a witness," Ross spluttered.

"There is legal precedent, your honor," countered Janeway. "In several cases involving the Maquis, members of both the defense and prosecution teams have served as witnesses due to their intimate knowledge of the case."

Luvois nodded. "That certainly seems applicable here. I'll allow it."

"But…" Ross made as if to object.

Luvois' hand hovered over her gavel. "Not in my courtroom, Mr. Ross."

Inside, Janeway smiled. Luvois outranked Ross, and she had just subtly reminded everyone in the room of that fact. Ross sulked as he walked to the stand. "Admiral Ross, do you have a grudge against the Maquis?"

"Captain Janeway, if you are suggesting that I arranged this matter to serve some personal vendetta…"

"I am suggesting nothing, Admiral. I asked you a question. Do you have a grudge against the Maquis?"

"Of course not."

"Even though while you served near Deep Space Nine, over a hundred officers under your command were killed by the Maquis? Even though you, more than any other admiral, saw what the Maquis were capable of on the front lines? Tell us, Admiral, what you saw out there."

Chakotay began to understand Janeway's strategy and felt a glimmer of hope.

"I'll tell you," Ross replied. "I'll tell you what they did. They betrayed Starfleet. They walked away from the organization that had protected them and trained them. Instead, they started fighting and killing their own people. Killing their own! When we already had the Cardassians to worry about, we had to start worrying about the Maquis, too."

Janeway nodded as if she agreed. "They betrayed you."

"Yes! They betrayed all of us, everything we stand for, everything we have sacrificed for."

"And many in Starfleet had to make an even bigger sacrifice. Isn't that right, Admiral?"

Ross' facial features tightened. "Yes. You weren't there, Captain. You didn't see what it was like, the carnage, the death, brother fighting against brother. You didn't see the screaming wounded on some of those border planets, the starving children, the women who had been..." Ross trailed off; he was becoming visibly upset. Janeway said nothing, and Ross turned his eyes on Chakotay, fixing him with a glare. "And all because of people like him! If he and his kind had just stayed quiet and gone along, none of this would have happened!" The strangled scream rang through the courtroom.

"He and his kind?" Janeway asked in a quiet but deadly tone. The courtroom had gone completely silent.

Ross' eyes widened and he seemed to realize his misstep. "The Maquis," he clarified hastily. "He and the Maquis."

"One more question, Admiral. Is it true that you had evidence against me that would have stripped me of my command and forced me to undergo a court martial? Or was that just a tactic you used to get Commander Chakotay to agree to your proposal?"

Ross' response was inaudible, and Luvois said, "Please repeat that, Mr. Ross, so that the court can hear you."

He cleared his throat. "I, um, I had no evidence against you. It was a ploy."

Janeway took a deep breath and then turned back to Luvois. "No further questions." Ross stepped down from the witness stand, a beaten man regardless of the outcome of the trial.

"All rise," the court clerk said as the Judge Advocate General prepared to make her ruling.

"In light of the evidence," Luvois said, "I have no choice but to find Commander Chakotay innocent of the charge of treason. Considering that none of the rest of _Voyager_'s crew is charged, it seems unjust to place this punishment on one man, as the result of another's prejudice and desire for revenge." She gave Ross a stern glance. "Furthermore, the deal that was brokered between the commander and Admiral Ross was clearly done so under false pretenses and misinformation. All charges against Commander Chakotay are hereby dropped."

There was a moment of complete silence, and then a loud cheer went up in the room, and the whole crew was on their feet, applauding. Luvois let them applaud for a moment, and Janeway could see the ghost of a smile on her face before she suppressed it under her stern judge's facade. Then she banged her gavel. "Order in the court! Order!" The crew quieted down, and Luvois turned to Chakotay, that small smile back in her eyes and the corners of her mouth. "Congratulations, Commander. You're free to go."

Chakotay did not know how to respond. He stood there, staring straight ahead, barely daring to breathe. It was over. The nightmare that had plagued him for the past several months was over, and he had won. He felt Kathryn's hand reach for his. _No_, he corrected himself. _We won_. He tried to summon his voice. "Thank you."

There were tears glistening in her eyes as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He pulled her close, savoring the smell of her hair, the feel of her small, soft body up against his, the sensation of her breath as she whispered in his ear, "I love you, too."

...

Chakotay looked around the sparse room that he was to call home for the foreseeable future. It was littered with boxes, the entirety of his belongings. The standard issue Starfleet furniture appeared grey and uninviting, but after the trial had ended, all he had wanted was to be alone. He knew that Tom and B'Elanna and Harry had been disappointed that he wouldn't join them for dinner, and that Kathryn had been equally upset that he hadn't accepted her invitation, but he needed to process all that had happened. He needed time to think, and he just couldn't face the questions and comments that he knew were bound to arise at any gathering of _Voyager_'s crew.

He had heard Kathryn's admission of love, and his heart had soared, only to plummet again moments later when he realized that he had yet to resolve his situation with Seven. He knew that he had to speak to her before anything could happen between him and Kathryn. So he had disengaged from her embrace and squeezed her hands and told her he would contact her in a few days. She smiled bravely and said she understood, but there was no mistaking the disappointment in her eyes. After receiving hugs and congratulations from what seemed like the entire crew, he had escaped to his solitude. Chakotay plopped down in one of the grey chairs and tried to clear his thoughts.

Before he could get very far, the door chime rang. He frowned. He thought he had made it clear to everyone that he wanted to be alone. He sighed, standing from his chair. "Come in."

"Hello, Chakotay." Seven of Nine stood in the doorway, looking a little smaller and less self-assured than he remembered.

"Seven. Please, come in. Can I get you anything?"

"I do not require sustenance at this time, thank you."

He didn't know what to do with his arms, so he stood there, awkwardly, placing them behind his back.

"Congratulations on your acquittal."

"Thanks." He paused. "I'm sorry, Seven. I wasn't expecting to see you, and I don't feel much like talking right now."

"That is all right. I just came to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Chakotay was dumbstruck.

"Can we sit? I believe that would be more comfortable."

"Uh, of course." They sat on the plain grey couch, several inches from each other, looking at each other uneasily.

"Chakotay, when you were taken from _Voyager_'s bridge, and when you said what you said to the captain…"

"Seven, I'm sorry. That was an impulsive move, a snap decision, and probably not the right one."

She smiled. "That's exactly what the captain said. But impulsive or not, it was true." Chakotay didn't reply; he didn't have to. "I was very upset. I went into the captain's ready room in tears. I couldn't understand why you had said that to her."

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right. Captain Janeway gave me very helpful advice."

"What did she say?"

"She told me that loving someone means taking a risk, and she didn't know why you'd said it either. I think she was just as surprised as I was, but the captain is adept at hiding her feelings."

"Yes, she is."

"At first, I thought that once we freed you, you and I would be free to pursue our relationship as we had on _Voyager_. But even in the last two weeks, I've learned that being in the Alpha Quadrant is nothing like being on _Voyager_. I have a great deal to adjust to and to learn here. It would be easy for me to... what does Tom say? Use you as a crutch? But I don't want to do that."

"That's very admirable, Seven. You know I'll be happy to help you in any way I can."

She continued as if she had not heard him. "But that's not the reason I came to say goodbye."

"I still don't understand where you're getting this idea. Why do you have to say goodbye?"

There was a long moment of silence before Seven spoke. "I have not had many opportunities in my life to witness true love. I remember very little of my parents, but from what I do remember about them, I believe they shared this. Perhaps Lieutenants Paris and Torres do as well, but I am not on intimate terms with them." She paused, gathering her thoughts. This was a subject she was obviously less than comfortable with. "Have you experienced true love, Chakotay?"

He swallowed a lump in his throat. "I believe I have."

"As I watched Captain Janeway prepare for your trial, I realized that she has true love for you."

"The captain would have worked tirelessly to get any member of her crew out of prison, Seven."

"I have no doubt that is true; the captain is a remarkable individual. But this is something more. I saw the way she jumped when a communication came through for her, because she hoped it would be from you. I saw the look in her eyes when she read the messages you wrote to Admiral Ross, brokering this deal. It is not just that she wanted to prove your innocence; she would have done that for anyone. But she knows you. She knows your faults, your stubbornness, your pride, your private nature, and these things make her angry and upset sometimes, but she loves you anyway!

"I was searching for the most compatible mate. I had a list of criteria and I researched which of _Voyager_'s crew would fit those criteria the best. I was searching for a compatible male, of which doubtless there are many in the Alpha Quadrant. For me it was logical, an assessment on paper. For the captain, it is none of those things. Captain Janeway loves you because you're you, even if on paper you wouldn't match up to any criteria she might list, she would still love you. I believe that's true love. She deserves to be with you, not me. That's why we have to say goodbye."

Chakotay was stunned, and he sat on the couch, speechless, until Seven stood to leave. Then he reached out a hand to stop her. "Seven, wait. Are you sure about this?"

She nodded. "I am."

"Does the captain know you're here?"

"I did not tell Captain Janeway of my plan to visit you this evening."

He nodded. "All right. Thank you, for everything you said."

"It is the truth, at least from my perspective."

"I know," Chakotay replied with a smile. "I appreciate that. And even if we are no longer pursuing a romantic relationship, I hope that we can at least be friends."

She gave him a soft smile. "I would like that."

"Me, too."

She nodded, and then she was gone, leaving Chakotay with even more to think about than he'd had earlier.

...

When Kathryn started the same page in her book for the fifth time, she finally decided it was time to give up and close the cover. She did so with a loud sigh and collapsed back against the chair. She was listless; she had been for two days, since Chakotay's trial had ended. She had foolishly believed that her admission of love in the courtroom would change everything, that suddenly he would sweep her off her feet and that all her secret fantasies about them would be fulfilled. Instead, she had realized that he had spoken impulsively on the bridge and probably hadn't even meant what he said, or perhaps just hadn't meant it in the way she'd assumed, and that he probably regretted saying it. She figured that he had gone back to Seven and that they were now well on their way to the future of marriage that the admiral had predicted. _Oh well_, she thought. _Just one more thing that didn't turn out the way I hoped. I should be used to that by now. _

She needed work. She was anxious for her next assignment from Starfleet, but none had come. She worried that she had antagonized the admiralty by defending Chakotay at his trial and that she would be relegated to a desk job. She needed real work to distract her, to motivate her, to inspire her. To make her forget about Chakotay and the debacle that was their relationship.

She had just gotten up to go into the kitchen and make coffee when the door chimed. She wasn't expecting any visitors, and she was surprised. "Come in?" She was sure her jaw hit the floor when the doors opened. "Chakotay?"

He was wearing a dark t-shirt and blue jeans and carrying a bouquet of peace roses. "Hi." He held out the flowers. "These are for you."

She was taken aback. "They're beautiful, thank you, but you didn't need to bring me flowers."

"Yes, I did. Kathryn, I need to apologize…"

Her face fell. "For what you said on the bridge. Of course. Chakotay, I know you didn't really mean it, not in that way."

"No!" He cut her off abruptly. "I mean, yes. I mean, I did mean it. In that way."

She stared at him. "You did?"

He nodded, a grin emerging on his face.

"Then what are you apologizing for?"

He handed her the flowers. "First of all, I'm sorry I brokered the deal with Ross behind your back. I just didn't know what else to do, and I had no way of knowing whether he would make good on his threats against you and the Maquis crew. I couldn't afford to take that chance."

"I do understand," she replied softly. "I was angry at first, but I probably would have done the same in your position."

"I'm not sorry I told you I love you, Kathryn. I am sorry that the first time you heard it had to be in front of the entire bridge crew."

"And Seven," she added.

"Yes." He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well, Seven and I are no longer an item."

She raised her eyebrows. "Really?" He nodded. "And whose doing was that?"

He gestured to the flowers. "Why don't you put those in water and I'll tell you all about it?"

An hour later they were sitting on the couch, Kathryn snuggled into the crook of Chakotay's arm. She had recounted to him the conversation that she'd had with Seven in her ready room following his arrest, and he had told her about the conversation he'd had with the former drone after his trial. They had lapsed into silence and were enjoying the simplicity of just being together.

Janeway emitted a contented sigh. "This is nice."

Chakotay snugged his arm tighter around her shoulders. "Yes, it is."

She cocked her head and looked up at him. "So, where do we go from here?"

"Hm. How about I make you a nice dinner and we replicate a bottle of Chateau Picard 2347?"

"That sounds good... Then what?"

"Then, I'll put on some nice music and we can dance in the living room. I'll hold you close to me and feel your body against mine. You'll fit perfectly just under my chin. We'll dance for a long time, and our bodies will get closer and closer, our steps becoming slower and slower. Then, finally we'll stop altogether."

"And then?" she whispered.

"Then, I'll cup your face between my hands and look deep into your eyes. I'll lower my lips to yours and kiss you, and kiss you, and kiss you, until I can't kiss you anymore... Which I think will be never."

She chuckled against him. "Chakotay?"

"What?"

"Dinner sounds great and all, but do you think we can just skip to the part where you kiss me?"

He angled towards her and placed one finger under her chin, getting lost in the deep blue-grey of her eyes. "I think that could be arranged," he replied, and lowered his lips to hers.


End file.
